Horses in your life without riding commitment conundrum

[Gloi]

I think fostering youngsters from a charity is something you would really enjoy ,
yes they would leave you at some point but the reward of watching them being ready to lead a good life after a horrid start would be huge .
If you feel totally in love with one their would nothing stopping you making your place it’s forever home .

If I had my own place I would do this.

 

[smolmaus]

For the horsey charities I work with, a foster home like yours would be like winning the lottery. There are so many that can't be ridden (yet or ever) but they would flourish in a quiet, patient home, and its so so hard to place them. If you do make the choice to look to a rescue you will be a real hero ?

 

[Polos Mum]

Bransby is only down the road definitely go in and chat to them - the website is very rarely up to date and they are lovely to deal with.

Or tougher native rare breed youngsters. Leo is pure Dales pony and they are critically endangered, relatively easy to care for and (only if you want to, showing in hand is an option). His half brother and a second both pure Dales from the same breeder are available at weaning soon !!

It's nice knowing you can do some handling on a nice day but that they will live if you don't for 2 weeks and that there is no pressure for 4 years (they mature late so starting ridden life at 5 is a good thing).

 

[rabatsa]

My suggestion would be a pair of donkeys.

 

[Leandy]

You can pay a professional to ride and compete your horse yes, although it would be more usual to keep the horse at the professional's yard than at home. You would probably struggle to get someone to do all the ridden work and compete without having it stabled with them but you may find someone who would come and school it once or twice a week and compete it for you if you do the rest of the exercising and keep it at home. It can be very satisfying to be the owner at a competition if you don't want to compete yourself but want to stay involved. A professional will be ambitious so you would likely need to be up for that (and able to fund it) if you want to keep someone interested in it for the long haul. No harm in looking around you for professionals or up and coming junior or young riders in your area and then having a chat with them about your proposal. You never know what may come out of it. You will need to decide how much you are prepared to spend though. Keeping a competition horse and having it competed professionally does not come cheap although if you can find a capable junior/YR you may be able to come to a more reasonable arrangement to your mutual advantage.

 

[Tronk]

Bransby is only down the road definitely go in and chat to them - the website is very rarely up to date and they are lovely to deal with.

Or tougher native rare breed youngsters. Leo is pure Dales pony and they are critically endangered, relatively easy to care for and (only if you want to, showing in hand is an option). His half brother and a second both pure Dales from the same breeder are available at weaning soon !!

It's nice knowing you can do some handling on a nice day but that they will live if you don't for 2 weeks and that there is no pressure for 4 years (they mature late so starting ridden life at 5 is a good thing).

Oh that's interesting re the website not being up to date - I'll pop in there in a week or two when I think I can bear it.

The Dales pony option sounds interesting

 

[Tronk]

You can pay a professional to ride and compete your horse yes, although it would be more usual to keep the horse at the professional's yard than at home. You would probably struggle to get someone to do all the ridden work and compete without having it stabled with them but you may find someone who would come and school it once or twice a week and compete it for you if you do the rest of the exercising and keep it at home. It can be very satisfying to be the owner at a competition if you don't want to compete yourself but want to stay involved. A professional will be ambitious so you would likely need to be up for that (and able to fund it) if you want to keep someone interested in it for the long haul. No harm in looking around you for professionals or up and coming junior or young riders in your area and then having a chat with them about your proposal. You never know what may come out of it. You will need to decide how much you are prepared to spend though. Keeping a competition horse and having it competed professionally does not come cheap although if you can find a capable junior/YR you may be able to come to a more reasonable arrangement to your mutual advantage.

Thank you - it seems crazy to pay someone to ride a horse (in my situation), but the junior/young rider idea sounds interesting and worth exploring as I'd get the benefit of helping someone at the same time. Food for thought, thanks.

 

[Kaylum]

Foster homes are always needed. Their owners might be in hospital or have financial difficulties, lost their grazing as well as ill treated equines. They may not be advertised for rehoming for various reasons. Have a word with a charities rehoming team.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I think fostering youngsters from a charity is something you would really enjoy ,
yes they would leave you at some point but the reward of watching them being ready to lead a good life after a horrid start would be huge .

This is what I have done twice when fostering pony youngsters for the RSPCA. I loved having them knocking around, getting them more used to being handled and generally increasing their confidence in life. As fosterer, I had first dibs on keeping them on permanently, but I was happy to let them go on to other homes.

One went back to the RSPCA at 3yo and was then taken to Your Horse Live where she found her new owners. The other was adopted directly from here as a 2yo under RSPCA supervision.

I'd definitely do it again rather than look out on empty fields once my current 3 have gone.

 

[ElleSkywalkingintheair]

Very sorry for your losses, especially your lovely old boy who I remember well from Melton camp xx lots of lovely suggestions but surprised no one has suggested getting a cob yet, I have one after injury made riding more energetic horses difficult and she is so very far removed from my TB x Welsh love of my life that I've never compared them at all. She was brought mainly for hacking but does everything (better with other riders than me) and will quite happily be left in the field for as long as you like. She'd also be an excellent nanny to any youngsters or foster horses you may end up with

 

[dorsetladette]

Do you know any competition riders local to you? Most seem to dabble in breeding. would a nice mare and foal in the field take your fancy? Its something nice to look at and not the same as you had pervious. Once foal is weaned you could maybe keep the foal and another for company and start the handling process and teaching them what its like in the 'grown up' horse world. Then they could go back to the rider at backing age and you could follow their (horse) career knowing the horse personally.
I think this is what will happen with our Reggie to be honest as he is going to be far to big for me to be comfortable riding and he's not going to have a face for the showring (my thing) bless him.

I'm sorry to hear about your loss - its so hard loosing your long term companion. Take care and be kind to yourself

 

[chaps89]

I had a companion on loan when I had my ridden mare.
Initial plan was he would be returned when she was pts but actually when that happened I kept him on.
I now have 2 retired ponies who I love (mostly. Sometimes less so when they’re destroying fencing) because obviously the companion needed a companion. The other is with me on more of a livery basis though so no extra costs thankfully.
It’s as much the pottering around doing jobs as spending time with them, but also on a nice evening at the end of a long day I love just sitting with them/watching them.
I do have 2 or 3 horses I ride for other people so I have a good balance.
I can highly recommend.

 

[Gloi]

I have occasionally donated here, they see some awful cases
https://www.facebook.com/groups/welshrehomingproject/?ref=share

 

[Red-1]

I was in your position, except that I stopped riding and sold up through the stress of mum having dementia and trying to deal with that. Ny head wasn't into riding and training and my horse of the time needed consistency.

I scoured Preloved for the most broken horse I could find, that still had the potential to make a ridden horse, just so I had a horse at home to love. Bought Rigsby, 17 years old cob, just finishing box rest for lami, whose owner couldn't keep him. He had a number of medical complaints, was very opinionated, but he was just what I needed.

I started with walking in hand, just like walking the dog. I loved grooming, teaching him to load etc. I had to read up on all sorts of new things that the competition animals never had! Rigs did make a ridden horse, but there is absolutely no pressure to ride him.

I can leave him for weeks, or even months, then climb on and go for a walk round the block. He enjoys work, but also eating, being turned out, grooming, just fuss... He has had some kids come for a lead rein lesson and visited the local OAP home as a PAT horse.

Right now, he has been ridden maybe 10 times all year since Jan 1st. No need to ever ride him, or I could saddle up and plod round the block. Friends have ridden him out too, he is very non threatening.

Best thing about it is that he gave me back my appetite to ride. I have bought a youngster, a bit more of a 50/50 sporty V lazy type horse. Athletic enough to do grassroots competition but steady enough to have 2 weeks off then climb aboard and hack out. But, what Rigs taught me, is that there is no need to push on. Baby Horse had a week off when it was hot. It was too hot to enjoy, so we didn't ride. No pressure.

I wouldn't have had a loan horse as I felt to fragile to have one to fall in love with then have whipped away.

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Fostering seems like a fab idea, and/or, have you considered doing some driving instead of riding??

 

[Squeak]

Very sorry for your losses, especially your lovely old boy who I remember well from Melton camp xx lots of lovely suggestions but surprised no one has suggested getting a cob yet, I have one after injury made riding more energetic horses difficult and she is so very far removed from my TB x Welsh love of my life that I've never compared them at all. She was brought mainly for hacking but does everything (better with other riders than me) and will quite happily be left in the field for as long as you like. She'd also be an excellent nanny to any youngsters or foster horses you may end up with

I was going to suggest something like this - some horses, particularly older ones might be happy to do the odd bit of riding as and when you feel like it but also not care if it's not ridden for months. That way you could still have the option to ride if you change your mind in the future.

I did this with my old boy and sometimes he'd be a happy hack, other times I'd bring him back in to more work and we'd go off and do some sj and other times he'd just have months in the field. He was happy whatever he did.

 

[Annagain]

To me, it doesn't sound like you don't want to ride more that you don't want to feel like you have to ride. I think in your case I'd look for something older that you can ride if you want to but don't have to ride to keep fit for a purpose. My boy Archie retired at 24 a few years ago but in the 10 years before that he never got ridden more than 3 days a week and was often left for 2 or 3 weeks at a time. We'd mostly hack but would do a bit of flat work (we'd have done more but he wasn't a fan) and the odd lesson which he was more than capable of coping with. You could even look for a sharer to reduce that feeling of having to ride even further if you wanted to.

As company for the oldie you could always take on a couple of young horses to foster and rotate them every few years.

 

[Ratface]

Thank you - yes I'm liking the idea of the weanlings too. Not sure about the shetlands - I've just had a quick look on a few charity websites and all the shetlands sound naughty lol!!

In my experience, Shetland ponies are Satan's elves. I wouldn't have one, even if you paid me.
I'm not averse to "horses with character", having had quite a few over many decades, but Shetlands are a leap too far.
When I was two years' old, I was put in a basket saddle on a Shetland pony and we were left to wander round the garden and orchard. No close supervision, apparently, as SP was "quiet and reliable".
Whilst my mother and her friends were taking tea on the terrace, SP was quietly and determinedly taking me through the tall blackberry hedges at the bottom of the garden.
I was saved by the enraged gardener who, alerted by my wailing, dragged SP and me back out and deposited us both in front of the ladies' tea party.
Fortunately, after that little drama, SP and I were always led about (with rather bad grace) by one of the stable lads and got into no further trouble.
Eighteen months later, I was given a fiendish little Exmoor pony, who was my beloved accomplice for another ten years.

 

[Tronk]

Very sorry for your losses, especially your lovely old boy who I remember well from Melton camp xx lots of lovely suggestions but surprised no one has suggested getting a cob yet, I have one after injury made riding more energetic horses difficult and she is so very far removed from my TB x Welsh love of my life that I've never compared them at all. She was brought mainly for hacking but does everything (better with other riders than me) and will quite happily be left in the field for as long as you like. She'd also be an excellent nanny to any youngsters or foster horses you may end up with

Oh you've brought a tear to my eye, thank you and lovely to hear from you. We had a lovely time at Melton camp didn't we?
Love the sound of a nanny type horse than can be ridden if I feel like it x

 

[Tronk]

In my experience, Shetland ponies are Satan's elves. I wouldn't have one, even if you paid me.
I'm not averse to "horses with character", having had quite a few over many decades, but Shetlands are a leap too far.
When I was two years' old, I was put in a basket saddle on a Shetland pony and we were left to wander round the garden and orchard. No close supervision, apparently, as SP was "quiet and reliable".
Whilst my mother and her friends were taking tea on the terrace, SP was quietly and determinedly taking me through the tall blackberry hedges at the bottom of the garden.
I was saved by the enraged gardener who, alerted by my wailing, dragged SP and me back out and deposited us both in front of the ladies' tea party.
Fortunately, after that little drama, SP and I were always led about (with rather bad grace) by one of the stable lads and got into no further trouble.
Eighteen months later, I was given a fiendish little Exmoor pony, who was my beloved accomplice for another ten years.

Yes SPs do have bags of character, what a fab story! My late aunt (responsible for starting my love of horses and getting me into this mess/addiction!) had some little SP terrors that she drove - she would set my cousin and I off for the afternoon to drive around the local lanes, we had absolutely no control!! Lovely memories

 

[Tronk]

To me, it doesn't sound like you don't want to ride more that you don't want to feel like you have to ride. I think in your case I'd look for something older that you can ride if you want to but don't have to ride to keep fit for a purpose. My boy Archie retired at 24 a few years ago but in the 10 years before that he never got ridden more than 3 days a week and was often left for 2 or 3 weeks at a time. We'd mostly hack but would do a bit of flat work (we'd have done more but he wasn't a fan) and the odd lesson which he was more than capable of coping with. You could even look for a sharer to reduce that feeling of having to ride even further if you wanted to.

As company for the oldie you could always take on a couple of young horses to foster and rotate them every few years.

I think you've probably hit the nail on the head, my golden oldie was a similar type, you could leave him for weeks without being ridden to neither of our detriments. Not sure I can stand the heartbreak of getting another of those! Good idea re fostering youngsters to keep company. Crikey - so many options I feel happier and more positive already.

 

[Tronk]

Fostering seems like a fab idea, and/or, have you considered doing some driving instead of riding??

Yes agree re fostering, thank you. Not driving though - the tack cleaning!!!!

 

[ElleSkywalkingintheair]

Oh you've brought a tear to my eye, thank you and lovely to hear from you. We had a lovely time at Melton camp didn't we?
Love the sound of a nanny type horse than can be ridden if I feel like it x

We did it was a great few days, such a shame they don't do them anymore ? I randomly tried to get in touch with the photographer from camp as I didn't buy any pictures at the time so appart from the ones they used for brochure following year I don't have any, sadly got no reply.

Love the description of shetlands being Satan's Elves, they certainly are Ratface, I now have two. But then I also have 8 cats which if Shetlands are Satan's Elves cats are his overlord so shows a lot about me ?

 

[meleeka]

This will be me in the future. I still have mine, but they are all old so will have to face it eventually. This thread has helped me too, although I’m not sure I’d be able to foster. I’ve never parted with an animal so that would be difficult. I don’t think I’d want another oldie. It’s financially and emotionally hard to keep them how I want to. I’m leaning towards smaller ponies (I already have a mini) At least I wouldn’t be bored ?

 

[SantaVera]

Sorry for your loss, time to be kind to yourself and grieve. FYI I have 3at home, two are non ridden companions and the other goes for a hack about once a month. It's good being so relaxed about everything, just enjoying grooming, cuddling, doing a bit of horse agility in the paddock. Yes they cost money and time but they are cheaper than a therapist! My yard and fields are my happy place to be.

 

[tda]

Yes agree re fostering, thank you. Not driving though - the tack cleaning!!!!

Synthetic harness now, hosepipe and brush ?

 

[Chuffy99]

Yes agree re fostering, thank you. Not driving though - the tack cleaning!!!!

You don’t clean it now you use the stuff you can chuck in the washing machine!

 

[Tronk]

You don’t clean it now you use the stuff you can chuck in the washing machine!

They need to invent this for riding tack

 

[Squeak]

They need to invent this for riding tack

I'm pretty sure these webbing bridles can go in the wash

https://www.libbyshorsetack.co.uk/p...m/webbing-or-leather-bridles/webbing-bridles/

 

[Debsflo1]

Thank you - sound absolutely ideal, will look into this.

totally second this having just re homed the most beautiful yearling from a charity.
He is such a pleasure to be with.